Robot for assisting in playing golf

ABSTRACT

A robot for assisting a user in playing golf includes a self-propelled body, a memory device, a processor, a display device, a positioning device, a compass device, a lidar device and a Doppler radar that cooperatively estimate a position at which a golf ball would likely land after a shot, and to display the estimated position on a golf course map for assisting the user to find the golf ball.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 106111316, filed on Apr. 5, 2017.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a robot, and more particularly to a robot for assisting a user in playing golf.

BACKGROUND

For each hole in a golf game, there is a long distance between the tee box and the putting green, so the player usually hits the tee shot with a powerful swing to make the ball approach the putting green as close as possible or even seek a hole in one. However, the powerful swing may result in lower control of the ball, so it is relatively easy to direct the ball to an undesirable hazard region, such as a water hazard region (e.g., a lake or a river), a man-made hazard region (e.g., a bunker), a natural hazard region (consisting of e.g., trees, thick vegetation, etc.), where the ball may not be easily found.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a robot that may assist a user in playing golf.

According to the disclosure, the robot includes a self-propelled body having a front face, a memory device storing golf course map information therein, a processor electrically coupled to the self-propelled body, and a display device, a positioning device, a compass device, a lidar device and a Doppler radar that are disposed on the self-propelled body. The positioning device is configured to determine a location of the self-propelled body and generate location information. The compass device is configured to sense an orientation of the self-propelled body and generate orientation information. The lidar device is configured to sense an object or objects around the self-propelled body and generate lidar information associated with the object or objects. The Doppler radar is disposed on the front face of the self-propelled body. The processor is configured to enable automatic movement of the self-propelled body to a first target location based on the golf course map information, the location information, the orientation information and the lidar information. The processor is configured to cause the Doppler radar to emit a radar signal toward a radar zone in front of the self-propelled body. The processor is configured to calculate, according to the radar signal that is reflected back to the Doppler radar by the golf ball and a golf club that are disposed in the radar zone when the golf ball is hit by the golf club, an estimated landing position at which the golf ball is estimated to land. The processor is configured to cause the display device to display the estimated landing position and the golf course map information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment (s) with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a robot for assisting a user in playing golf according to the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an image displayed by a display device of the embodiment, in which a golf ball is not within a radar zone of a Doppler radar of the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an image displayed by the display device, in which a golf ball is within the radar zone;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a variety of implementations for wireless communication of the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an image displayed by the display device, in which a golf course map along with an estimated position of the golf ball and an advised position to which the golf ball is hit is shown;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an image displayed by the display device, in which a flight path and the estimated landing position at which the golf ball is estimated to land are shown; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an image displayed by the display device, in which the estimated landing position is shown as a top view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the embodiment of the robot 1 for assisting a user 91 in playing golf according to this disclosure is shown to include a self-propelled body 10, a display device 11 (e.g., an LCD display, an OLED display, etc.), a memory device 12 (e.g., a flash memory, a hard disk drive, etc.), a positioning device 13 (e.g., a GPS), a compass device 14 (e.g., a magnetic sensor, etc.), a lidar device 15 (i.e., a device of light detection and ranging), a camera device 16, a Doppler radar 17, a processor 18, a speaker 191, a microphone 192, a touch sensing operation device 193 and a wireless communication device 194 (e.g., a WiFi module, a mobile communication module, etc.). In this embodiment, each of the abovementioned components 11-18 and 191-194 is disposed on or mounted to the self-propelled body 10, but this disclosure is not limited to such implementation. The processor 18 is electrically coupled to the abovementioned components 10-17 and 191-194, and may be implemented with appropriate firmware and/or software design.

The self-propelled body 10 is installed with a battery module 190 to power its own movement and all electric-powered components of the robot 1, and may include a moving mechanism (e.g., an electric-powered wheel device, etc.) to enable movement on a golf course.

The memory device 12 is used to store a user operation interface 120, golf course map information 121 and shot history information 122 associated with the user 91.

The positioning device 13 is configured to position the self-propelled body 10 (i.e., to determine a location of the self-propelled body 10) so as to generate location information that indicates the location of the self-propelled body 10.

The compass device 14 is configured to sense an orientation of the self-propelled body 10 (e.g., a direction toward which the self-propelled body 10 faces) so as to generate orientation information that indicates the sensed orientation.

The lidar device 15 is configured to sense an object or objects around the self-propelled body 10 so as to generate lidar information associated with the object or objects. In this embodiment, the lidar device 15 is disposed on a top face of the self-propelled body 10 to sense the object or objects around the self-propelled body 10 in all directions.

The camera device 16 is disposed on a front face of the self-propelled body 10 to capture an image ahead the self-propelled body 10. In this embodiment, the camera device 16 is disposed on a lower portion of the self-propelled body 10 in order to capture an image of a golf ball 92 on or near the ground.

The Doppler radar 17 is disposed on the front face of the self-propelled body 10 so as to emit a radar signal 171 (usually a microwave signal) toward a radar zone in the front. In this embodiment, the Doppler radar 17 is disposed on a bottom portion of the self-propelled body 10 in order to emit the radar signal 171 toward the golf ball 92.

The speaker 191 and the microphone 192 enable interaction between the user 91 and the robot 1 by voice. The touch sensing operation device 193 enables control of the user operation interface 120 by the user 91 there through.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the robot 1 may use the wireless communication device 194 for connection to the Internet 33 for downloading an update of the golf course map information 121. In addition, information in connection with the user 91 playing golf with the assistance of the robot 1 may be uploaded to a cloud server 34 via the Internet 33 in various ways so that the robot 1 may query statistics information associated with the user 91 by connection to the cloud server 34 afterwards. In one example, the robot 1 may use the wireless communication device 194 for connection to the Internet 33 via a mobile communication network 35, establishing connection to the cloud server 34. In one example, the robot 1 may use the wireless communication device 194 for connection to the cloud server 34 via a computer 31, a mobile phone 32 or a wireless access point 36 that is connected to a mobile communication network. Furthermore, the wireless communication device 194 may be utilized for the user 91 to interact with the robot 1 by operating an application 321 installed in the mobile phone 32 that establishes wireless communication with the wireless communication device 194.

Further referring to FIG. 6, the processor 18 enables automatic movement of the self-propelled body 10 to a first target location 143 based on the golf course map information 121, the location information, the orientation information and the lidar information. In practice, when the user 91 is ready to start practicing or matching at a hole of the golf course, the user 91 may cause, such as by touch control, the robot 1 to automatically move to the first predetermined location which is right behind a tee box 70 by a first predetermined distance (D) of, for example, between two and three meters.

At this time, the processor 18 performs calculation based on the golf course map information 121 and the shot history information 122 to obtain, for the user 91, advisory information that includes an advised golf club to use for a following shot (i.e., the shot that is about to be made) and an advised orientation to make the following shot After the user 91 selects a golf club 93 to hit the golf ball 92, the user 91 may use the microphone 192 to input club information associated with a club number of the golf club 93 into the robot 1, or the processor 18 may automatically recognize the club number of the golf club 93 based on an image that is captured by the camera device 16 and that includes the golf club 93 to generate the club information, and record the club information in the cloud server 34 or the memory device 12. The processor 18 may calculate an advised destination position to which the golf ball 92 is advised to be hit for this shot (i.e., the following shot) based on the golf course map information 121, the shot history information 122 and the club information.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, after the self-propelled body 10 is at the first target location 143, the processor 18 causes the Doppler radar 17 to emit the radar signal 171 toward the radar zone in front of the self-propelled body 10, causes the camera device 16 to capture an image in front, and causes the display device 14 to display the image captured by the camera device 16 with the radar zone being indicated in the image (the radar zone in the image being denoted by reference numeral 149). Since the first target location 143 is right behind the tee box 70, the radar zone 149 corresponds to a center region of the tee box 70. However, depending on the actual situation, the user 91 may place the golf ball 92 at a location outside of the center region of the tee box 70, so the golf ball 92 is not within the radar zone 149 although the golf ball 92 is included in the image captured by the camera device 16. When the processor 18 determines, based on the image captured by the camera device 16, that the golf ball 92 does not fall within the radar zone 149, the processor 18 adjusts the first target location 143 based on a position of the golf ball 92 relative to the radar zone 149, such that the golf ball 92 would be in the radar zone 149 if the self-propelled body 10 is at the adjusted first target location. Then, the processor 18 enables automatic movement of the self-propelled body 10 to the adjusted first target location.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 to 8, when the user 91 swings the golf club 93 to hit the golf ball 92 (to make the shot), the processor 18 calculates a flight path 146 (see FIG. 7) of the golf ball 92, an estimated landing position 141 at which the golf ball 92 is estimated to land (see FIGS. 6-8), and shot information 147 (see FIG. 7) based on the radar signal that is reflected back to the Doppler radar 17 by the golf ball 92 and the golf club 93 that are disposed in the radar zone as the golf ball 92 is hit, and causes the display device 4 to display the flight path 146, the estimated landing position 141, the shot information 147, and/or the golf course map information 121. Further referring to FIG. 4, the shot information may include, pertaining to the shot/swing taken, a carry distance 1471, a maximum height 1472 of the golf ball 92, a club speed 1473 of the golf club 93 (particularly a speed of a club head of the golf club 93), a ball speed 1474 of the golf ball 92, and a backspin rate 1475 of the golf ball 92.

Then, the processor 18 calculates, based on the estimated landing position 141 and the golf course map information 121, a second target location 144 that is spaced apart from the estimated landing position 141 by a second predetermined distance (d) of, for example, between two and three meters, and enables automatic movement of the self-propelled body 10 to the second target location 144 based on the golf course map information 121, the (updated) location information, the (updated) orientation information and the (updated) lidar information. The user 91 may thus follow the robot 1 to move to the second target location 144, facilitating finding of the golf ball 92.

After the robot 1 is at the second target location 144 and the user 91 has found the golf ball 92, the robot 1 may use the camera device 16 and the image recognition technology to automatically adjust a position thereof such that the golf ball 92 falls within the radar zone of the Doppler radar 17 for sensing the next shot by the user 91. Meanwhile, the processor 18 may calculate an advised destination position to which the golf ball 92 is advised to be hit for the next shot based on the golf course map information 121 and the shot history information 122.

In summary, by use of the positioning device 13, the compass device 14, the lidar device 15, the camera device 16 and the Doppler radar 17 in cooperation with the golf course map information 121 stored in the memory device 12, the embodiment of the robot 1 according to this disclosure may automatically move to the second target location 144 in a vicinity of the estimated landing position 141 of the golf ball 92, guiding the user 91 to find the golf ball 92. In addition, the processor 18 records the shot history information 122 in the cloud server 34 or the memory device 12, so that the user 91 may acquire information of the advised club for a next shot and the advised orientation of the next shot, which are calculated based on the shot history information 122, when the user arrives at a position for making the next shot (e.g., the tee box 70 or in the vicinity of the estimated landing position 141). Furthermore, by automatic image recognition to determine the specific golf club 93 that is actually selected by the user 91 to hit the golf ball 92 or through the voice input of the club information of the chosen golf club 93, the processor 18 may record the club information in the cloud server 34 and/or the memory device 12, so as to update the shot history information 122 associated with the user 91.

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is (are) considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A robot for assisting a user in playing golf, comprising: a self-propelled body having a front face; a display device disposed on said self-propelled body; a positioning device disposed on said self-propelled body, and configured to determine a location of said self-propelled body and generate location information; a compass device disposed on said self-propelled body, and configured to sense an orientation of said self-propelled body and generate orientation information; a lidar device disposed on said self-propelled body, and configured to sense an object or objects around said self-propelled and generate lidar information associated with the object or objects; a Doppler radar disposed on said front face of said self-propelled body; a memory device storing golf course map information therein; and a processor electrically coupled to said self-propelled body, said display device, said positioning device, said compass device, said lidar device, said Doppler radar and said memory device, and configured to enable automatic movement of said self-propelled body to a first target location based on the golf course map information, the location information, the orientation information and the lidar information, to cause said Doppler radar to emit a radar signal toward a radar zone in front of said self-propelled body; to calculate, based on the radar signal that is reflected back to said Doppler radar by a golf ball and a golf club that are disposed in the radar zone when the golf ball is hit by the golf club, an estimated landing position at which the golf ball is estimated to land; and to cause said display device to display the estimated landing position and the golf course map information.
 2. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a camera device disposed on said front face of said self-propelled body and coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is further configured to cause said camera device to capture an image having the golf ball after said self-propelled body is at the first target location, to adjust, when said processor determines that the golf ball does not fall within the radar zone, the first target location based on the position of the golf ball relative to the radar zone, such that the golf ball would be in the radar zone if said self-propelled body is at the first target location thus adjusted; and to enable automatic movement of said self-propelled body to the first target location thus adjusted.
 3. The robot of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to calculate shot information after the golf ball is hit by the golf club, and to cause said display device to display the shot information, the shot information including at least one of a carry distance, a maximum height of the golf ball, a club speed of the golf club, a ball speed of the golf ball, a backspin rate of the golf ball, or a combination thereof.
 4. The robot of claim 1, wherein the first target location is behind a tee box by a first predetermined distance.
 5. The robot of claim 4, wherein the first predetermined distance is between two meters and three meters.
 6. The robot of claim 1, wherein said memory device further stores shot history information associated with the user, and said processor is further configured to perform calculation, based on the golf course map information and the shot history information, to obtain advisory information that includes an advised golf club to use and an advised orientation of a shot to be made, to record club information associated with the golf club selected by the user to hit the golf ball, and to calculate, based on the golf course map information and the shot history information, an advised destination position to which the golf ball is advised to be hit.
 7. The robot of claim 6, further comprising a camera device coupled to said processor and configured to capture an image of the golf club selected by the user to hit the golf ball, wherein said processor is further configured to recognize a club number of the golf club based on the image captured by said camera device for generating the club information.
 8. The robot of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to calculate, based on the estimated landing position and the golf course map information, a second target location that is spaced apart from the estimated landing position by a second predetermined distance, and to enable automatic movement of said self-propelled body to the second target location based on the golf course map information, the location information, the orientation information and the lidar information.
 9. The robot of claim 8, wherein the second predetermined distance is between two meters and three meters.
 10. The robot of claim 1, wherein said lidar device is disposed on a top face of said self-propelled body to sense the object or objects around said self-propelled body in all directions.
 11. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensing operation device, wherein said memory device further stores a user operation interface which is controllable by the user through said touch sensing operation device.
 12. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a microphone and a speaker for allowing interaction between the user and said robot by voice.
 13. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication device connected to the Internet for downloading an update of the golf course map information.
 14. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication device connected to the Internet via a mobile communication network, and configured to upload information of the user playing golf to a cloud server via the Internet.
 15. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication device to be connected to a cloud server using a device that is one of a computer, a mobile phone and a wireless access point for uploading information of the user playing golf to the cloud server via a mobile communication network.
 16. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication device for the user to interact with said robot by operating an application installed in a mobile phone that establishes wireless communication with said wireless communication device. 